3 squirrels nailed to fence Dallas, TX (US) Date: Dec 23, 2005 County: Dallas Local Map: available Disposition: Open Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case ID: 6829 Classification: Mutilation/Torture Animal: squirrel View more cases in TX (US) Reward: $1,000 Login to Watch this Case

The SPCA and police are still puzzled about why three squirrels were nailed to a wooden fence in a University Park neighborhood. The dead squirrels were found Dec. 23, pinned by their shoulders to the fence, which lines an alley near University Boulevard and Hillcrest Road.

Police say they're limited in what they can do because they're not sure whether a crime was committed. "Domesticated animals, such as dogs or cats, are protected by the animal-cruelty law," University Park police Officer Lita Snellgrove said. "Squirrels aren't part of that."
But James Bias, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Dallas, said the state's animal-cruelty law can cover squirrels and other wild animals, depending on how they were treated. "Most of the time, law enforcement is going to look at the provision of domesticated animals," Mr. Bias said. "But the penal code also addresses captive wild animals. If you shoot a squirrel, you're hunting, so you're not going to be guilty of animal cruelty. But once it's captive, and someone starves it or is cruel to it, it becomes" animal cruelty.

Residents in the 3400 block of University Boulevard said they hadn't heard about the squirrels. Officer Snellgrove said she didn't know who reported the incident to police. "They could have been dead when they were nailed, but we can't tell," she said. What may have been a cruel prank could indicate a more serious problem, Mr. Bias said.

A survey by the Humane Society of the United States has shown a link between animal cruelty and child abuse. "Some people might say, 'It's just three squirrels,' " Mr. Bias said. "But next year, it might be a schoolyard shooting. In two to three years, it could be an entire family. There are enough examples to say there can be a connection."

The SPCA is offering $1,000 for information leading to an arrest or an indictment if the case is determined to be an act of animal cruelty.

Add this case to:

Del.icio.us

|

Digg

|

Furl

|

Neighborhood Map

For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.

Back to Top

If you have information on this case, please contact:
SPCA Dallas Texas

References

Dallas News - January 1, 2006

« TX State Animal Cruelty Map

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.